Focusing lamp



May 8, 1928.

R. ECKSTEIN FocusNG LAMP Original Filed June 6. 1921 Patented May 8, 1928. l

UNITED` STATES REUBEN ECKSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PATENT ol-FlclaA ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION k01?' N EW YORK.

Application mea .Tune e, v1921, serial My invention relates to focusing lamps, and more particularly to focusing lamps of the kind carried in the pocket or held in the hand, and in which it is desirable to change the focus by a simple adjustment,' quickly and easily made. e

Stated more specifically, myy invention relates to the particular arrangement of the parts, whereby an incandescent lamp bulb is associated with a lamp Casing and a reilector and so arranged that the operator may at will readily shift the position of the lamp bulb relatively to the lamp casing .and to the rellector, so as to vary the' distribution of the light from the bulb, this step being performed independently of the opening and closing of the circuit used for energizing and de-energizing the lamp bulb.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

and in which like reference characters'indicate like parts throughout the several igures. t Figure 1 is a central longitudinal. section through a lamp made in accordance with my invention, and shows the various movable parts as occupying their respective normal positions. y

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section corresponding to the upper portion of Figure 1,

but showing certain parts as moved into abnormal positions, due to focusing of the lamp bulb relatively vto the reflector.

Figure 3 is an elevation of 'some of the $5 parts appearing in Figures 1 and 2, but showing the parts in question as Adissembled or separated.

A tubular casing 4 is made of liber or other appropriate insulating material, and

` is provided with a threaded end portion 5..

Revolubly fitted upon this end portion 5 is a cap 6 which may be of metal, but is preferably made of insulating material, such as fiber. This cap is provided with a. boss 7,

which engages a battery cell 8.` A dry battery is well adapted for use in this connection.

A reflector 9 carries a cover glass or lens 10, secured thereupon by an annular cap 11.

The reflector 9 is provided with an annular portion.12, threaded externally, `and carries an abutment or stop portion 13, havingx a general annular form and provided wit a centrally disposed opening 14. The ltubular Focusrite LAMP."

No. 475,241. Renewed July 29, 1927.

casing 4 is provided with an end portion 15, threaded internally to fit the annular portion 12 of the reflector 9.

Bearing against the annular portion 13 is a stout spiral compression spring 17, made of metal, preferably brass or steel. A fiber washer 18 engages the spring 17, and carries a metallic eyelet 19, extending through it. centrally. Engaging the eyelet 19 is an electrode 20, constituting one terminal of the dry battery. The other terminal of the battery is the metallic shell 8a, shown more particularly at the lower left-hand portion of Figure 1.

A metallic lamp holder shell is shown at 21, and is made of sheet metal, so corrugated as to be virtually threaded. This shell is connected with the spring 17, preferably by soldering, and is provided with an overhanging flange 22. The shell' 21 extends loosely through a hole 23 in the washer .16

and is movable axially of the reilector` through the opening 14.` An incandescent lamp bulb 24 is provided with a stem 25 of conventional form, this stem being threaded and fitted into the shell 21 as a lamp socket. The outer surface of the stem serves as one terminal of the lamp, and the other terminal, having the form of a 'metallic nipple, appears at 26.

The compression spring 17 is always under compression, its tendency being to in' creasel the distance between the washers 16 and 18 until the flange 22 rests firmly against the adjacent vportion of the washer 16. The washer 16 is stationary, being pressed against the annular member 13. The washer 18, however, is movableQbeing under `control of the position occupied from v time to time by the battery, and this in turn being under control of the cap 6, which is adjustable yby hand.

Thus the operator, by grasping the casing 4 with one hand and turning the cap 6 with the other, can shift the position of the battery relatively to the casing, and by so doing can within reasonable l1mits compress the spring 17 or causeit to llex to any desired extent. By doing this, the o erator can cause the lamp bulb to protru e into the reflector as indicated in Figure 2, or

withdrawn into the position indicated in Figure 1, or to occupy any intermediatel position. Thus the practical working focus/f,

of the lamp is changed to any desired extent at the will of the operator, by merely turning the cap 6 back and forth.

I will nextdescribe the electrical connections used in my lamp. The battery casing 8al is engaged by a strip 27 of metal, this strip having a portion 28 bent outwardly through an opening 29 in the casing 4, and'clinched. Another strip 30 of metal is insulated from the battery casing 8, as shown, and is provided with an end portion 31, bent outwardly through the opening 29, and clinched. The two portions 2S and 31 are properly formed and arranged to serve as contact members. A leaf spring 32, made of metal and serving as a contact member, is connected with and controllable by a thumb button 33, and therewith is slidably mounted upon a stationary guard strip 321, carried by the casing 4. The operator, by placing his thumb on the button 33 and sliding the same back and forth, can so shift the -contact spring 32 as to bring it into engagement with both contact members 28 and 31, or with only the contact member 28. The u per end portion 30a of the strip .30 is pre erablybare, as shown, and is in enagement with the metallic washer 16, being g preferably though lnot -necessarlly soldered,

gagement with the contact member 31. 'lhel circuit is thus completed, as follows: battery `casing 8a, strip 27, contact member 28, contact spring 32, contact member 31, strip 30, washer 16, spring 17, shell 21, lamp lterminal 25, lamp 24, lamp terminal 26, eyelet 19, battery terminal 20, through battery 8 to battery casing 8a.

Figure 3 indicates the manner in which various parts'are assembled; the inter-relations of the parts being obvious. y

I invite special attention to the fact that the focusinof of my improved lamp from time to time at the will of the operator is accomplished in such manner as not to disturb the `contact of any of the electrical connections; and articularly that the circuit can not be eit er opened or closed by the movement j'of the lamp bulb relatively to the reflector, in focusing the lamp or otherwise varying the distribution of the light, incidental to adjustment of the position of the lamp bulb relatively to other parts. of the flange 22 from the adjacent portion of the metallic washer 16 can have no effect upon the condition of the circuit, which is controlled absoultely from the position of the button 33, as above explained.

.I do not limit myself to the precise mechamsm shown, as variations may be made The disconnection` my focusing lamp for any particular purpose, nor to its construction as of any special materials. Generally speaking I prefer that lall parts of 'the device be made of standard material, or at least material readily standardized. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a focusing lamp the combination with a lamp casing and a reflector carried thereby, of a lamp bulb located within said casing and movable bodily in relation to said reflector, a battery located within said lamp casing and movable relatively thereto, said battery being connected with said lamp bulb so as to move said lamp bulb relatively to said reflector whenever said battery is moved relatively to said lamp casi-ng, said battery being connected with said lamp bulb by a circuit under control of the operator for the purpose of causing said battery to energize said lamp bulb, and an adjustable member of insulating material controllable at the will of the operator for adjusting the position of said battery relativel to said casing.

2. In a focusing l7amp the combination with a lamp casing and a reflector' carried thereby, of a battery located within said lamp casing and movable bodily in relation to said casing and said reflector, and a lamp bulb connected withsaid battery andv energized thereby underv` control of the operator, said lamp bulb being disposed adjacent said reflector and movable bodily in relation thereto in response .to movements of said battery relatively to said casing, and a cap of insulating material adjustable on said casing controllable at the will of the operator for moving said battery relatively to said lamp casin 3. In a ocusing lamp the combination, with a lamp casing and a reflector carried thereby and normally stationary in relation thereto, of a lam bulb carried by said casingable with said lamp holder relatively to said stop member so as to flex said spring, and a circuit including said battery and said lamp bulb and holder, saidcircuit bein controllable by the operator for causing said battery to energize said lamp bulb.

4. In a focusing hand lamp the combination of a reflector, an abutment member carried by and' coaxial with said reflector, a compression spring bearing against said abutment member, a lamp bulb having a pair of terminals one of which is in circuit with said spring, and a battery provided with a pair of terminals one of which is in circuit with said spring, the other being electrically connected with a terminal of said lamp bulb, by a circuit under control of the o erator.

5. n a focusing flashlight, the combination of a casing, a battery therein, a lamp in circuit with said battery, a reflector mounted on and providing a closure for one end of said casing, said reflector having an apertured portion providing an abutment, a

' lamp holder adjustable axially through such aperture, a compression spring bearing against said abutment and expansible to move said lamp holder, and a closure 'cap for the other end of said casing, said cap being adjustable to move said lamp holder.

6. In a flashlight, the combination of a tubular casing, a battery therein, alamp in circuit with said battery, a. reflector threaded to said casing and constituting the head of said flashlight, said reflector carrying a ortion substantially closing the head en of said casing, a cover glass secured to said reflector, `a lamp holder adjustable axially of said reflector, and a cap closing the other end of said casing and bearing against said battery.

7. In a flashlight, the combination of a tubular casing of insulating material, a battery therein, a lamp in circuit with said battery, a flaring reflector constituting the head end of said flashlight and having an externally threaded portion iittin into and threaded to said casing, said re ector oomprising an apertured portion forming an abutment substantially closing one end of said casing, a lamp holder adjustable through such aperture axially of said 'reiiectorg and a cap of insulating-material closing the other end of said casing and bearing against said battery.v

. REUBEN ECKS'IEIN.` 

